


Reminiscing on a Distant Smile

by Kamari333



Category: Momma CQ - Fandom, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Apathy, Emotionless, Gen, Kid!Error - Freeform, Kid!Fresh - Freeform, Kid!Geno - Freeform, MommaCQ, momma cq - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-24 05:28:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12006018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamari333/pseuds/Kamari333
Summary: Fresh remembers the one time Error ever smiled at him.





	Reminiscing on a Distant Smile

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt writing for Fresh.
> 
> This is a gift for my cousin, [Alaina](https://alainaprana.tumblr.com/), who is the author of Momma CQ, the AU/story this one-shot takes place in. (If you haven't already, go see her stuff, it's great!)
> 
> I probably messed this up so bad (i am NOT used to writing this kind of thing), but it was my best attempt and I really hope it turned out alright.

Fresh had only ever seen Error smile once. No, that was incorrect. It would be more accurate to say that Fresh had only ever seen Error smile _at him_ once. And while he could not be certain that it was definitively the first time, as Fresh did not start paying attention to facial expressions for some years, it was the only one he could recall. He did not know the significance of the act, or the meaning behind it, but Fresh remembered it very clearly.

At Geno's insistence, Mom had taken them out for icecream. Mom almost always gave in when Geno asked for something. It was a strange phenomena that Fresh had considered using to his advantage, but had yet to find a reason that made it worth the effort. After all, he had no desires of his own, other than sustenance, which was provided, and entertainment, which he could acquire without the help of anyone.

_He did not admit to himself that he also required companionship. He did not think about the emptiness that fell upon him in those moments when he was completely and utterly alone, the dark, instinctual sensation that ate at him like hunger or pain, telling him there was something wrong that needed to be corrected. After all, he didn't have to think about it, since it was a minor inconvenience that was easily avoided, and when it could not be avoided, it could be endured._

It had been a friday, because Error had asked that they wait to leave the house until after his favorite television show ended, and at the time, the program only aired on fridays around 3 PM. They all left the house ( _'as a family'_ , as Mom called it) around 4. It was a crisp autumn day. He remembered that, because he remembered Mom insisting that they dress warmly in her firm, authoritative voice. The leaves on the trees that grew sporadically around the neighborhood were in vibrant reds and yellows, although that had little meaning to Fresh. He only noticed because he heard Mom comment on it, which prompted Geno and Error to look around, their pupils dilated and their jaws slack.

That day, the car had been in the shop, as Mom had seen the check engine light go on and immediately rushed to have the vehicle inspected, so the four of them had walked. Fresh remembered that, because he had noticed Geno had quickly begun to show signs of fatigue, sweating and shivering. Mom had scooped him up to carry him, either so he did not damage himself, or so they could proceed down the street more quickly, or perhaps both. Error had exhibited an increase in glitches for a short while after that, his brows furrowed.

Then, they had eventually gotten to the icecream shop... And then... Error had smiled at him.

Fresh remembered not understanding why.

\-------

"Stay close," Their mother had reminded them as she approached the crosswalk, shifting her hold on Geno slightly. Error clung to Mom's free hand, eyes occasionally darting up to look at Geno, who smiled down at him over their mother's shoulder. Fresh trailed behind, close on his mother's heals as per instructions. He caught his mother looking at him out of the corner of her eye. Was she checking to be certain he was obeying her commands? Possibly, although he could not fathom the reason for it. After all, Fresh had made a promise to listen to his mother. And according to the dictionary, a promise was _'a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen.'_ If he did not follow through on his words, then words would have no meaning. 

Words were the only thing that had meaning to Fresh. He wasn't about to allow that to be taken away.

So he kept his promises.

And he stuck close to his mother as they crossed the street to the ice-cream parlor.

Mom set Geno down carefully. Geno, smiling, pressed himself up against the glass separator, his eye lights dilating larger as he took in the sight of the many flavors of icecream. Error did the same, close beside him, his glitching slowing down further. Fresh did not understand their actions: he could see the flavors clearly from where he stood beside Mom, and there were pictures of them on the large display on the back wall. Besides which, they had all been to this icecream parlor multiple times before, and knew exactly what they would be ordering from past experience.

Mom walked up to the counter, smiling at the cashier, who smiled back. They exchanged uninteresting pleasantries, the purpose of which Fresh did not comprehend, and therefore tuned out as he focused on their facial expressions. He knew academically what those faces meant, but he could not quite grasp the meaning everyone else seemed to inherently understand. He knew he was missing something important, as important to everyone else as sight and sound and touch were to him, if he were any judge, and the fact he was walking around practically crippled was probably the reason Mom kept checking on him. She was making sure he didn't get into a dangerous situation which he was unable to comprehend due to this 'lack' of a sense for something he did not have.

"And what would you boys like?" Mom asked, turning her head to face Fresh and his brothers properly. 

"Ch-choCOlaTe," Error replied, looking at Mom, his eye lights approximately 15% brighter than normal. One hand came up to adjust his large oval glasses, which had become misaligned.

"I want strawberry, please!" Geno said, smiling up at both his mother and the cashier, who was already pulling on a fresh pair of gloves and taking the paper bowls down from the shelf they resided on.

Mom looked at Fresh, her facial expression conveying to him that she was expecting him to respond. Fresh looked back up at her. "What do you mean by, 'like'?" Fresh was certain he had heard the word before, but for some reason he couldn't recall the meaning. That was unusual, since he didn't normally have an issue remembering definitions.

His mother froze, her expression changing to the one Fresh only ever saw directed at him: a moist attribute to her eyes; the subtle quiver to her chin; the way her eyelids opened wider before closing 10-35%; how her lips would part, as though she were about to speak, yet remained silent. As quick as the expression came, it was gone, replaced with a smile which differed in quality from the one she had given the cashier. "I was asking which flavor you wanted," Mom said slowly, softly.

Fresh looked back at the visual display on the wall, uncertain how to respond. He knew 'want' meant _'a desire to possess,'_ but all Fresh 'desired' was survival. Icecream would neither help nor hinder that, but even if he acted under the pretense that the icecream _would_ assist in his survival, he could not fathom how the flavor of it would change the outcome. He considered basing his response on the content of the flavoring mechanisms, but Fresh was unfamiliar with that, so he was unable to make an informed decision. Besides which, given his understanding of his mother's behavior, if there were a flavor of icecream that was inherently more 'healthy' than the others, she would likely insist that the three of them consume it exclusively. The very fact that they had a choice indicated that the choice was meaningless.

Fresh looked back at his mother, and, as he had promised he would, answered honestly. "I don't know."

The smile which was not the same as other smiles became more... other... and Mom reached out to pat Fresh on the head. Fresh never understood why she did that, but it neither caused damage to himself nor anyone else, so he had no reason to protest. Mom then looked at the cashier and said "Make the last one a chocolate too."

Fresh looked at the cashier, who looked back with another facial expression Fresh was familiar with: a frown, wide but shallow, with brows raised and eyes open wide. Fresh shrugged, a gesture he learned would usually suit his purposes. It seemed to satisfy the cashier, because he scooped up the last of the icecream and set it up front.

After paying, Mom picked up the icecream and moved over to the booth Error and Geno had chosen, setting their treats down in front of them. She then slid into the booth next to Geno, who began to eat quietly. Error was already digging in with energetic motions and small noises, his eyes half shut and his cheeks discolored with yellow light. Fresh sat next to him, across from his mother, and looked at the bowl that was placed before him.

It had been given to him to consume, and it was already paid for, so Fresh had no reason not to eat it. He picked up the spoon and took a bite. The cold was to be expected, and the soft, malleable texture made certain that the chill permeated the entirety of his mouth. It was almost physically soothing, like some of the topical medications that Mom used when he was injured, although that mattered very little to Fresh. It was only an observation.

His mother caught his eye, giving him that expectant look again. "Is it good?" she asked.

Fresh though about it, and again answered honestly, "I don't know."

Mom gave him that look again, but turned to look at Error and Geno with a strong smile. "And how about you two?"

"It's really good!" Geno said with enthusiasm, grinning.

"N-n-noT tHAt _hE_ caN aPprECiAte It..." Error muttered, eyeing Fresh with a passive aggression Fresh could not recall evoking.

"Error..." Mom said, warningly. Error clicked his teeth, looking down at his icecream and scarfing the last of it. He had always been one to eat quickly, clearing his plate minutes before anyone else. Geno regarded him, his brows furrowed and his mouth pressed into a thin line, his eye light occasionally flicking towards Fresh.

Fresh looked down at the icecream. Then he looked at Error, who was- well, Mom had called the act 'sulking' once, and the behavior was nearly identical. Fresh thought about Error's words. He considered his icecream again. He wasn't going to get the maximum experience from it, _that_ was obvious. Whatever the frozen treat did for his brother, it did not do for Fresh. Logically, that meant it was wasted on him. Fresh did not see the point in wasting food, even food that would do nothing for his continued existence.

His decision was made.

"Here," Fresh said, sliding the bowl that was hardly touched over to Error. "Appreciate it."

Error, Geno, and Mom all went still, their eyes training onto Fresh. Fresh looked back at them. "What?" Fresh asked, not understanding their change in behavior.

Error glitched twice, then broke out into a big grin, before snatching up the bowl and bringing it to his face so he could spoon the icecream into his mouth as fast as possible.

"Error, say thank you," Mom said, a grin of her own taking shape as her voice trembled.

"DANKZ," Error got out, speaking with his mouth full.

Fresh leaned back, distracting himself by examining the ceiling. He didn't understand. Why were Geno and Mom smiling? What had changed?

And what was that warm sensation that had filled his chest, briefly, upon seeing Error's reaction to his decision?

Fresh didn't understand.

But he remembered.


End file.
